Helmet
/ˈhɛl.mɪt/noun
A protective covering for the head, typically made of metal or other hard material.
Did you know?The English word comes through Old French from a Germanic root meaning “to cover,” and it is historically related to words like *helmet*’s distant cousins in other branches that also point to covering and concealment.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*kel-
“to cover, conceal”
Proto-Germanic
PGmc
*helmaz
“covering, helmet”
Old English
OE
helm
“helmet, protective covering”
Old French
OF
helme
“helmet”
Middle English
ME
helmet
“helmet”
Modern English
English
helmet
“protective headgear”